As the winter months approach us, as the colder weather moves in and final exams creep closer, I find myself needing to take a moment to reflect on my accomplishments this semester and I encourage you to do the same.
As a student, it’s unbelievably easy to get bogged down by homework, studying and other responsibilities outside of the classroom. A lot of us have part-time jobs, volunteer commitments, social functions to attend… and that doesn’t leave a lot of time for relaxation in between! There are days when I have so much going on even glancing at my calendar stresses me out. But I have to take a step back and realize that everything is going to be okay! Deep breaths… winter break is coming.
This sounds so cliché, and I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times, but I’m going to tell you again: we should count every single day as a blessing. When you start to think about everything you have to accomplish this week: class assignments, essays, club meetings, sports practice, running errands, laundry, etc., it’s easy to become overwhelmed. You might begin to think, “My life sucks!” or, “There’s no way I can do all of this,” or maybe, “I just want to quit now!” My best piece of advice when you’re stuck in a pessimistic rut: Count your blessings!
What do we have to be thankful for (that we often forget)? I’m thankful for friends at school that want to spend time with me. Cherish those moments with people who care about you, and when you’re feeling stressed call up a friend, go grab a cup of coffee and clear your mind for an hour or two.
I’m thankful for a family that loves me. When you’re feeling lonely at school remember those people who love you back home, and remember the holidays are right around the corner! (Who isn’t counting down the days until Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas?)
I’m thankful for the sun in the sky and for a cool, fall breeze. I know it’s getting colder outside, but be thankful you have a warm bed to go home to! Things could always be worse, seriously. Make the best of a chilly morning — use it as an excuse to drink more coffee and bundle up in your favorite jacket and pair of furry boots.
I’m thankful for my education. Of course, the homework is overwhelming and extremely time consuming, the tests are difficult, the professors can be unhelpful at times, but we should consider ourselves lucky to be in school. I’m a strong believer that my education will carry me far in life, and you should have some faith in yourself! Still not encouraged? Well, this semester is going to be over before you know it — time is flying.
So the next time you wake up in the morning and begin to stress over everything that could possibly go wrong in a week, think again! So much stuff is already going right for all of us. I think we all need a reminder of life’s everyday blessings. Take every morning as an opportunity to start fresh – look at your work with a new perspective, and please, please, please don’t try to be “perfect.” Perfect doesn’t exist. It just doesn’t!You and me both will accomplish so much more if we put on an opportunistic attitude, and when the stress arrives, consider everything you have to be thankful for. Call me cliché, but I think we all need this advice from time to time.